As a leader it’s easy to feel like you need to say “YES” to everything…accommodate every meeting, dinner and conference call. Most of us have a hard time turning down invitations and requests. Sure it’s important to develop relationships but, saying “yes” to everything is not the best approach.
In the long run, saying “yes” to everything can…
Hurt your image
If you are constantly late to meetings or appointments because your schedule is packed too tightly you inadvertently disrespect the person you are meeting with. Being late send the message that I’m more important than you. Rescheduling without proper notice is equally inappropriate.
Prevent you from being your best
Being constantly rushed prevents you from thinking clearly at times and can lead to mistakes.
Stifle your team
A good leader needs to realize that their role is not to oversee every meeting their team has or to be involved in every step of their projects. A leader who tries to be involved every step of the way will often have problems with scheduling and may even come across as controlling.
Remember Pareto’s Law, more commonly known as the 80/20 principle. Pareto was an Italian economist in the late 19th century whose most famous work was a model of income distribution. Pareto showed that 80% of the wealth in the world is generated, and owned by, 20% of the individuals in the world. He used this concept on virtually everything. Can you believe he even showed that 80% of the peas he grew in his garden came from only 20% of the plants!
As a leader it is important to determine which 20% of your efforts account for 80% of your results. Ask yourself:
Which meetings are actually getting things done?
Which team members are carrying the majority of the workload?
Of the 10 emails you sent…which 2 were the most important ones?
Use these two tips to free up 80% your schedule by:
Delegating and give your team some autonomy: Challenge your team members to grow as individuals. A leader’s role should be to encourage growth not manage it.
Question if you really need to be there: A couple days before a meeting ask your team members, “Why do you need me at the meeting?” or “How do you want me to help throughout the meeting?” This will make them think about what they need your guidance on. As a leader it is up to you to ensure you mentor not a dictator.
Bottom line…If you feel the meeting will run smoothly without you there then there is no reason to go. Simply ask one of your team members to briefly summarize what happened either in person or via email.
On the other, hand if you think your team can’t handle the meeting alone then you might need to evaluate if you have the right people on your team. It is important that you evaluate what you need to do as a leader to ensure future meetings can run smoothly without you.
Cultivating a mindset that is constantly analyzing your actions will help you achieve better results.
Other Tips to “De-Clutter” Your Schedule:
- Avoid double booking yourself.
- Consolidate all of your appointments in one calendar.
- Don’t hesitate to tell somebody you need to check your schedule and call them back before setting up an appointment.
- If somebody manages your schedule and makes appointments for you make sure you are on the same page and that you have an established, consistent way of sharing top priorities.